In the Time of the Others

by Nadeem Zaman

BRAND NEW, Exactly same ISBN as listed, Please double check ISBN carefully before ordering.

Genres: Bangladesh

Hardcover

Published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Arif · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Time of the Others heralds the arrival of a preternaturally talented author. Zaman narrows our view of war until its claustrophobia emanates from the printed page like radio waves. Composed of meticulously crafted, interconnecting vignettes of ordinary and extraordinary people engulfed in war and violence, some watering the roots of ethnicity and religion that have moored them to hate, the others hacking at them, this novel is a marvel of restraint and an experience not to be missed.

[Prerna Mishra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise but doesn’t live up to the potential

This one is from the @thedscprize long list.

It’s 1971 and there is a simmering uprising in East Pakistan. Imtiaz is visiting his Uncle and Aunt in Dhaka for a personal business. What was deemed to be a short visit, gets unexpectedly extended due to the sudden uprising of the Bangla liberation forces, Mukti Bahini and the eventual Indian attack. How will the lives of ethnic Banglas, both Hindus and Muslims, the Western Pakistanis who virtually owned the east and the outside observers like American journalists change, after the birth of a new nation? And will this new nation be worth the bloodshed or will it be another of humanity’s failed promises?

I liked the fact that out of the subcontinental history, something other than the partition was used as the backdrop. This part of history hasn’t been much talked about. But, the tremendous potential was just scratched at the surface and not fully exploited. I felt like most of the characters were waiting for something calamitous to happen and the whole plot basically was squandered away in the wait. Only man who actually acted on anything was Captain Shaukat, a West Pakistani soldier with a family name to live up to and a constant battle to fight between his duty and conscience, but most of his actions were those of senseless violence. And while his conflict was evident, it was never thoroughly explored. Even the amateur revolutionaries felt sloganeering caricatures, and it didn’t seem like they did much except periodic demonstrations of inconsequential violence.

The story could have used tighter editing as well. And it needed fewer characters. However, it did leave me with a few thoughts to ponder about. Is a revolution a fine balance between the unabashed idealism of the youth and the cautious pragmatism of the experienced. Does it begin with the balance tipped towards the former and end with the tilt towards the latter?

[Divya Pai · Rating 3 out of 5]

South Asia in the 1970’s- palpable tension between countries, and the signs of an uprising in Bangladesh against Pakistan thwarted by the military. This is a rather sensitive subject matter and the author has really done his research.
The novel starts off with an amazingly described, albeit scary incident. Thereafter we are introduced to many distinct characters, each with his/her own convictions and personal issues. Here, the momentum of the story drops and doesn’t pick up for a while. Parts of the book are filled with intriguing incidents and moving dialogue, but the chapters in between are a slump. Most of the story is told from the perspectives of the various characters, hence limiting our view of the actual events.
That being said, certain representations of real, gruesome events brought tears to my eyes. I think the author has done a brave job, bringing forth the atrocities committed against the people of Bengal. I believe this story has potential to make a really interesting play someday.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over all a good read, and thought provoking moments. I felt the editing could have been a bit better , the story becomes slow in many places. I would have preferred fewer characters too.